July 15, 2020

Concert Review: Grace Kelly – Portland Public House July 13, 2020

Gotta love it when a little bit of Nashville comes to Auckland. That’s exactly what happened when 17-year-old Grace Kelly performed at The Portland Public House in Kingsland this past Monday.

Yes, that’s right, Grace is just 17 years old…not even old enough to have a drink. Fortunately, her brand of country shies away from the crying in your beer style songs. I’m sure there will be plenty of time for that.

Instead young Grace performs and composes “catchy, upbeat tunes of feel-good country songs and heart-felt ballads”. At least that’s how the press release describes the five songs that comprise her new EP, “before”.

The EP was recorded in Nashville and sure enough, as I squeezed my way into the very crowded Portland Public House (social distancing anyone?) I felt as if I was transported to the infamous Bluebird café.

Grace was already 2 songs into her set having played Before And After and now halfway through How It Feels when I found a comfy spot next to the bar.

Her charm and enthusiasm are infectious and by the time she finished the next song, That Girl, she had the crowd singing and clapping along.

The mood slowed down a bit for I Can’t Accept as she moved from guitar to piano, and then an interesting take on Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road…slower and more solemn than the version we all know.

We also heard a new song, not on the EP titled Talking To Silence before she went back to guitar and was re-joined by musicians Cassandra King (bass), Eli Paewai (drums) and guitarist Ben Jurisich.